Watching astronauts float in the weightlessness of space may look like a lot of fun, but scientists have found that such an environment can also have negative physical and psychological effects on humans.
Scientists from Germany’s Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin say they have found another health aspect of weightlessness – it can produce a higher body temperature.
Detailing their findings in a recent study published by the journal Scientific Reports, the scientists found that after being in space for about 2 and a half months, an astronaut’s body temperature, on average, rose to about 38 degrees Celsius, one degree above a normal reading of 37 degrees, even while at rest.
Lead researcher Dr. Hanns-Christian Gunga, a space medicine specialist, explains that it is really difficult for our bodies to rid themselves of excessive heat in weightless conditions such as those experienced by astronauts.
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